Belsley makes her return for W. X-C

The circumstances seem ideal for the Penn women's cross country team to have a breakout meet at the Lafayette Invitational tomorrow. Penn captain Michelle Belsley will be able to compete for the first time this season -- the course is considered one of the best in the areas, and the Quakers will not know who their competition will be until they arrive at the starting line at 11 a.m. "It is a great course, probably the best in the area," Penn assistant coach Tony Tenisci said. "It's very flat, very even and perfect for cross country." The team has had a rough start to the season. Their biggest hindrance was Belsley's sickness. Belsley has been plagued by a virus ever since she returned from Europe in the summer. Not only the captain, but also the team's strongest runner, Belsley's absence shook the team. "Hopefully, this weekend will go very well," Belsley said. "I will be running this weekend. I think that this meet will have a positive outcome for the whole team. Rita [Garber] is looking very strong, as well as Kristen [Duyck] and Linda [Packard]." Despite these seemingly numerous setbacks, the beginning of Penn's season has not been full of disappointment. They finished sixth out of 15 teams at the Fordham Invitational, and, at Princeton, although the team finished last, everyone improved their times. Tomorrow, though, is the Quakers moment to shine. "All I can say is that I hope to be able to run with more confidence," Garber said. "Also, we've been trying to build more on using our teammates effectively -- running as a pack and pushing each other to do well." Penn's competition will consist mostly of local teams, such as Moravian and Bucknell, but exactly who else will be there is unknown. With Belsley back, the Quakers' confidence bolstered, and a smooth course ahead of them, Penn should be looking at a successful weekend. "The team is solid and tightly packed. Our expectations are high, but so is our outlook," Penn freshman Dana Catanese said. "The Princeton meet was a reality check and slightly disappointed for all of us on an individual level. Each of us is stepping on the line with a lot to prove."